


Cookies and Camaraderie

by Littlecupofmocha



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Christmas fic, Everyone Is Alive, Gally - Freeform, Multi, Newt - Freeform, The Maze Runner - Freeform, Thomas - Freeform, brenda - Freeform, chuck - Freeform, everyone is happy, minho - Freeform, miyoko, teresa agnes - Freeform, tmr - Freeform, trenda - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 08:26:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8971765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlecupofmocha/pseuds/Littlecupofmocha
Summary: It's the second year in Paradise, and everyone is celebrating Christmas together.Cookies, fun, and a bit of fluff.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for TMR Christmas 2016, Newt's Advent Calendar, December 22! Check out my TMR blog at sobloodyinspired.tumblr.com
> 
> I had such fun writing this! Please enjoy.

Thomas grabbed two cookies from the full platter Laura was holding. Both were covered in ample, white, sugary icing. He thanked the woman in front of him and turned to Brenda, who sat beside him, and handed a cookie to her already outstretched hand. 

 

Christmas, for the second year in Paradise, was going smoothly. The houses they'd finally finished were equipped with fireplaces, which were definitely coming in handy at the moment, even if it was only a little nippy outside. 

 

Thomas thought about all they'd accomplished since they'd arrived, all his friends and the other immunes, and some families that had survived as well. Miraculously, they all had made it to the safe haven. They'd constructed a neighborhood, a small school - there were two teachers that came through the flat trans - and a meeting hall. There were yet to be any symptoms of the flare exhibited by any one person; everyone seemed uninfected.

 

But Thomas was brought back to the current festivities with a nudge from Brenda. She eyed him curiously.

“Whatcha thinkin’ about?”

“Oh, just us. How we all escaped and got here safely. How we made this new community.”

“Yeah. It’s pretty amazing. Pretty miraculous.”

As she spoke those words, Brenda gave a quick glance upwards. Then she bit into her cookie.

 

“Hey!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Hey, Laura! These are great!”

Laura, a woman in her early thirties with two children, did pretty much all the baking for the town whenever there was a special occasion or holiday. Paradise was limited in its resources, but it wasn’t anything any of the residents weren’t used to, and Laura made delicious desserts considering what she had to work with. 

 

Laura turned from where she was, already at the other end of the room, and smiled sweetly at Brenda, who was finishing her treat with wide eyes. Thomas was just about to finally bite into his own cookie, to see if Brenda was exaggerating about its goodness - she had a knack for being a bit overdramatic - when Newt came and sat down beside him. 

 

“Hey, Tommy.”

“Hey, Newt.”

“Listen, not to sound like a pig, but when’s dinner? I’m starving, haven’t eaten anything all day.”

 

Thomas smiled. Newt was getting his appetite back, a good sign of his recovery. Newt, who’d probably been depressed for longer than anyone realized, had had a somewhat trying time the past few months. When the Gladers’ and Glenners’ memories came back nearly entirely around the middle of the year, Newt relived some things he would have rather forgotten, things regarding his family, mostly. With the cold weather came low moods and an unwillingness to participate in any community activities. But, with Christmas nearing, which many of the Gladers remembered celebrating, Newt included, he became immensely happier. He became comfortable around his sister, Lizzy, and the two were just about inseparable. 

 

“Dinner should be soon, probably in about thirty minutes. But...why didn’t you eat breakfast with us?”

“Oh, I’ve been too busy. Had to wrap presents for you lot.”

“Presents?!”

“Yeah, ‘course.”

“Shuck, Newt, I didn’t get you anything.”

“Didn’t expect anything, Tommy. I just wanted to do a little something for all of you. The Gladers.”

Thomas smiled, “Thanks.”

“You’re going to love it, Tommy. It’s a great gift. But, before we get too sappy, have you noticed Minho yet? Over there, next to Miyoko.”

 

Newt pointed across the room to a spot right next to the tall Christmas tree in the corner. Next to it, on the floor, Minho sat next to Miyoko, a Glenner. Both were sat in front of about seven or eight munie children, all of whom were watching Minho attentively. 

 

He appeared to be telling some story, as he was making large gestures with his hands and arms, as if acting out what he was telling the children. His face too, had more expression in it than usual; his eyebrows had never moved so quickly, his eyes had never been so large. 

 

Newt and Thomas watched silently for a few moments before Minho suddenly put on an angry expression and pounded his chest with two balled fists, like a gorilla. 

“Ahh,” Newt said. “See, that’s you, Tommy.”

 

Thomas looked at Newt incredulously, “What?! No way, I don’t look like a monkey,  _ ever _ .”

Newt smiled slyly, “You do when you’re runnin’. Those arms of yours fly all over the place.”

 

With a snicker Newt jumped up from the couch and jogged away, out of Thomas’s reach. He settled over by the fireplace and sat next to Teresa and Gally, who were chatting happily, each grasping what Thomas believed were mugs of hot chocolate. 

 

Thomas caught Newt’s eye and stuck his tongue out at his friend in mock annoyance. Newt only smiled back and waved, which drew Teresa’s attention away from her conversation with Gally.

She turned to see who Newt was waving at, and saw her friend across the room.

 

She gave Thomas a small smile and sent a message to him:  _ Hey, Tom. _

 

Thomas stared back at her and continued the conversation.

_ Teresa. _

_ You enjoying the party? _

_ Yeah, it’s great. Michael was too generous to let everyone come over again. We made a mess last year. _

_ Michael’s a nice guy, I’m sure he’s more than happy to have everyone here. _

_... _

_ I got you a gift, Tom. Was hoping you’d open it tonight, after the party’s over. _

_ You too?! Newt said he got me one, I didn’t get one for anybody. Gosh, Teresa, I’m s- _

_ Tom, it’s okay! Seriously. Don’t worry about it. You’ve done enough for everyone. _

 

Thomas was taken aback by Teresa’s words. In a good way. He thought he saw her eyes get watery, but he wasn’t sure. 

 

_ I’m glad we’re here, Tom.  _

_ Yeah, me too.  _

 

Teresa gave Thomas another smile before turning back to Gally, who had been talking to Newt during her private conversation with Thomas. Now, both boys turned to Teresa, and the three of them began to talk casually. 

 

Thomas watched them until another nudge from Brenda, this time a light punch on his shoulder, disrupted his concentration. 

 

Brenda stared at Thomas for a moment before moving closer to him. She nestled into his side comfortably and leaned her head against his shoulder. Thomas could only stare at her.

 

Before he could even react, Brenda reached out with one arm and grabbed the cookie Thomas still held in his hand. 

 

“It’s been twenty minutes and you’ve haven’t eaten this. C’mon, man. I bet Chuck’s devoured at least three of these by now.”

And with that, Brenda broke the cookie in half, taking one half for herself and placing the other back in Thomas’s still open hand.

 

She munched happily, trying not to smirk as she did so. Thomas, annoyed in a playful way, laughed quietly. Finally, he took a bite of his treat.

 

His face, obviously displaying his pleasure and appreciation for the cookie, made Brenda laugh. 

 

“Took you long enough.”

“Hey, I just like to savor the moment. Tonight, and this cookie.”

  
Thomas put his arm around Brenda, and the pair finished their halves of the same treat, snuggling quietly and watching all their friends, their family, celebrate Christmas together. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment.
> 
> Merry Christmas!


End file.
